Seal for gas doobs



Aug. 28, 1928.

J. J. A. MILLER SEAL FOR CAR DOORS, SHIPPING RECEPTACLES, ETC

Filed Feb. 23, 1927 Patented Aug. 8, 1928.

JOHN J. A. MILLER, OF 1I LEI-IVER, COLORADO.

SEAL roanoons, snrrrrno nncErTAoLEs, Ere.

Application filed February 23, 1927. Serial No. 170,143.

I This invention relates to sealsfor car doors, shipping receptacles, etc, and is designed as: an improvement upon a seal for which Letters Patent of the United States were granted tome on Sey' teinber 20, 1910,

i No. 970.529.

The primary object of the' present invention is to provide a seal comprising a piece of resilient wire of suitable diameter or gage, which is bent to form an open band or ring, one end of which is provided with an in closed spring lock, while the other end is shouldered and is designed to beinserted in the lock and to be non-releasably engaged thereby, the lock being so inclosed as to preclude the possibility of its beingtampered with. i o

Further, to provide a seal of this character, which is preferably in the form of an open triangular frame, the two unbroken sides of which are flattened to form, respec- 'tively. a name receiving plate and a number receiving plate, the seal being weakened at its corners by notching the wire at these points to reduce the thickness thereo'l".

These objects are accomplished by the device illustrated in the accompanying drawings. in which: s

Figure 1 is a front View of the seal, showing the same in locked position.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional View through the lock and itshousing, showing the manner of securing the housing to one end of the seal, the other end of the seal being engaged by the look.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the divided cylindrical shell fronrwhich the lock is formed. Fig. 4 is a side View of the finished lock; and

Fig. 5 is an end view of the same. Referring to the accompanying drawings: The numeral 1 designates the body of the seal, which consists of a piece of resilient wire of suitable length and gage, which may be bent into any practicable form, such-as an open square, circle or triangle, the triangular form being preferable. The two unbroken sides of the seal are flattened to form, respectively, a number receiving plate 2, and a name orinitial receiving plate 3,

yond whichthe wire tapers, as shown at 7,

and terminates in tion 7. w

A tubular housing S is secured uponthe head 4;, so as to project a suitable distance a short'reduced end porbeyond the same, and this housing is adapted to inclose andhold a springlock 9, which will be later described. The housing 8 consists of a main metal tube, one end portion 10, of whichis of a diameter to fit tightly around the head 4 and iscr'imped to engage the head, as shown, and this portion10 terminates in an'abrupt-l shoulder 11, against which the head bears, the head being held between the shoulder 11 and the crimped portion of the tube. The tube, beyond the shoulder 11, is of a length to receive the lock 9, and of a diameter slightly greater than the lock, and constitutes the housing proper, and this housing terminates in an abrupt shoulder'12, beyond which the tube" projects a short distance toform an entrance port-ion 13, which is of a diameter to fit closely around the shouldered end portion of the seal, which is adapted to be inserted therein. The "lock '9'is made from a resilient metal plate, which. is bent to form a divided cylinder, a short portion of the plate being bent over at right angles at each end to form introverted flanges 9 forming circular openings 9 of slightly less.

diameter than the diameterof the which the seal is made.

The lock isoit' a length corresponding to the distance between the head 4 and the shoulder 12 and of slightly less diameter than the interior of the housing, The lock may be of cylindrical form, as shown in Figure 3, but it is preferably pressed into the form shown in Figure 4, or so as to taper from each end toward the longitudinal center thereof, the latter forrn providing a more rigid construction than the cylindrical form. The lock is placed within the housing before the housing is secured upon the head-4, and as both ends of the lock are of the same construction, either end will serve as the locking end.

In practice, the seals are constructed as shown in Figure 1, the shouldered end of the seal being in line with the entrance end 13 of the housing, but far enough away from it to permitot either end of the seal being passed through the staple of av car door or a crate, as the case may be, and as the sealis made of stout resilient wire, accidental wire from insertion of the said shouldered end within the entrance portion of the housing is prevented.

In attaching the seal, one of its: free ends is passed through the said staple, and its end 7 is pushed into the entrance end 13- of the housing, and through the hole 9 in the lock flange; the tapered portion 7 of the seal then engages the marginaledge of the said hole 9, thereby spreading the lock, and when the shoulder 6 passes the lock flange 9, the lock springs again intoclosed relation, whereby the flange 9' engages the said shoulder 6', and securely locks this end of the seal to the housing.

The entrance portion 13 of the housing fits so closely around the shouldered end portion of the seal as to prevent theinsertion of a tool or implement for the purpose of tampering with the lock. The seal may be broken by severing the Wire at one of its corners in the usual manner.

Having described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A seal of the character described, comprising a Wire bent to a suitable form, havi'nga conical head on one end and an annular shoulder on its opposite end, a tubular housing secured at one .end upon the head end of the Wire, its opposite end portion being reduced in diameter to form an annular shoulder, a divided resilient tubular lock in said housing, having introverted annular flanges at its ends, oneend of said lock engaging the annular shoulder of said housing, its introverted flange engaging the annular shoulder on the opposite end of the Wire, When the said Wire is inserted in the housing, said tubular lock being tapered from each end toward the center thereof.

2. A seal of the character described, comprising a cylindrical housing of three diameters, thereby forming two abrupt annular shoulders, a Wire bent to a suitable form, having a head on one end which is inserted in the end of the housing having the greatest diameter, and against the adjacent shoulder, the part of greatest diameter being pressedaround the back of the head to secure the same, the opposite end portion of the Wire having a reduced conical portion terminating in an abrupt shoulder beyond which the Wire terminates in a pointed end, a divided, resilient tubular lock in the inter mediate portion of the housing havin introverted annular apertured flanges at its ends, g one end or said lock abutting against the shoulder next the smaller end of the casing, and engaging the shoulder on the opposite end of the Wire when said end is passed through the smaller portion of the casing and through the adjacent end of said lock,

said smaller portion fitting closely around the Wire. g

In testimony whereof, I afliz; my signature.

JOHN J. A. MILLER. 

